


No other version of me

by Estelle



Category: Hollyoaks
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Happy Jarry Holidays, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 15:06:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19320622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estelle/pseuds/Estelle
Summary: Sadie turns out to be a stalker who tries to keep James and Harry apart





	No other version of me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [brightingales (zoeteniets)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoeteniets/gifts).



> My first offering for Happy Jarry Holidays' Pride Edition, based on this beautiful [post](https://brightingales.tumblr.com/post/185294578286/look-i-know-that-desperately-wanting-sadie-to-be). Obviously takes place before Harry can rush back to James to tell him that he doesn't care about the baby.

When James hears what happened, he immediately rushes to the hospital, forgetting everything about their fight and the baby and the stupid things he’s said. Harry is hurt, he could have died even, and the only thing on James’ mind is to make sure that he’s okay.  
When he gets to Harry’s room though, he is met with Sadie just coming out, and when he tries to step around her, she shuts the door and blocks his path.  
“What do you want?”, she asks with barely contained hostility.  
“I need to see Harry! Is he okay?” James is aware how desperate he sounds, but he couldn’t care less when Harry’s life is in danger.  
“He’s asleep. He’ll be fine. You don’t need to see him though”, Sadie explains.  
“What?” James is too stunned to come up with a witty response to that, and Sadie smiles.  
“You told him to choose. And he chose his family.” Still smiling serenely, she places a hand on her stomach. “So no, you don’t need to see him.”  
Upon hearing that, James feels the bottom drop out of his world. This can’t be right. Harry wouldn’t… But then, James _did_ tell him to choose, but he never thought that…  
Just then, he sees Tony coming down the corridor, and realises that Sadie is right. _Of course_ Harry doesn’t need to see him, when he can have a family, and the approval of his father, and a pretty much picture perfect future with them. How could he be so stupid and ever think that Harry would choose _him_ , when there’s all that to compete with?  
Defeated and heartbroken, he leaves before Tony reaches them, and doesn’t see how Sadie’s smile turns triumphant.

Harry wakes up slowly, blinking his eyes open and realising that he’s probably in a hospital, relief rushing in at not actually being dead.  
Then he registers that someone hold his hand, and his first thought is of course “James”, but it feels wrong, the hand too small and soft, and when he turns, Sadie is smiling at him, and he blinks again and croaks “James?”  
Shaking her head, Sadie hands him a cup of water, and after gratefully taking a few gulps, he asks again: “Where’s James?”  
Still smiling, Sadie shakes her head again. “He’s not here. Why would he be? You have me, and our baby.”  
Hearing that feels completely wrong, and he desperately tries to clear the confusion in his head. He can’t believe that James wouldn’t come when Harry is in hospital, that he wouldn’t care that he got hurt. Then he remembers their argument, and he feels his heart crumble. He’s still sure that James cares, but he also knows how vindictive he is and how mean he can get when he feels slighted, and maybe he thinks that Harry chose Sadie, that he doesn’t want James here, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Stealing his resolve, he knows that he needs to make this right as soon as he gets out of the hospital.

That turns out to be more difficult than he thought though, because he when he finally gets released, Romeo informs him that James has left on an extended business trip, before pretty much slamming the door in his face.  
Of course James doesn’t pick up his calls, and all his texts go unanswered, and Harry doesn’t know what to do.  
He tries to talk to Romeo again when he sees him, but he just flat out ignores him, and short of breaking into the flat and making him tell him where James went, he feels like he is out of options.

And then there’s Sadie. She seems to be determined to insert herself into his life, always showing up where he is, taking about the baby, and being a family, and how well she gets along with Tony, and how wonderful their future will be, and Harry really couldn’t care less.  
He tries to tell her as much on numerous occasions, but that doesn’t seem to get through to her, because she just keeps showing up, telling him that he’ll come around and realise what a perfect family they’ll be.  
When he tells her that he’s already found that with James and Romeo, she laughs in his face, then strokes a hand down his arm and says “Oh honey, not like that. I mean a _real_ family. You, me, and the baby. You’ll see. It will be perfect.”  
Slightly creeped out at this point, Harry doesn’t know how to respond, but fortunately he doesn’t have to, because this is the exact moment he sees James across the road.  
He looks tired and beat, but he’s still the most beautiful thing Harry has ever seen.  
Ignoring Sadie’s protest completely, he rushes over, determined to finally, _finally_ make this right.  
When James sees him, he tries to turn away, but Harry steps into his way, grabs onto his lapels and says the first thing that comes to mind, which happens to be “I love you!”  
At that, James frowns, steps back and gently removes Harry’s hands from where they’re clutching his jacket, and Harry could cry because even though James is obviously angry, he’s still so careful with him.  
“I thought you have your _family_ now”, he spats, pronouncing the word like something disgusting, and Harry frantically shakes his head.  
“ _You’re_ my family!”  
Harry can see James’ eyes soften at that, clearly wanting to believe him, but he’s still frowning.  
“But she said you chose her.”  
“What? When?”  
“At the hospital. I came to see you and...” James trails off and shakes his head, and suddenly, everything is clear to Harry.  
“Oh my God. She keeps telling me what a perfect family we are, but I don’t care, I love you, and I thought you didn’t come and I...”  
James interrupts him by stepping close again, and cupping his cheek. “You were hurt. Of course I came. But she said you don’t want to see me.” He sighs and closes his eyes for a moment. “I’m sorry for everything I said, and demanding you choose like that. I love you, and I don’t want to loose you.”  
His voice is heavy with emotion, and it’s the most beautiful sound Harry has ever heard.  
Leaning in, he smiles brightly. “I love you too. There was never any other choice.”  
Before they can kiss though, Sadie _of course_ interrupts them.  
“What are you doing?” She sounds shrill and almost hysterical, and Harry really doesn’t want to deal with her.  
James, always attuned to his mood, seems to sense that, and pulls him closer into his chest, slightly turning to Sadie.  
“We’re about to kiss”, he says drily, and Harry snorts.  
“So I highly suggest you go away and leave us to it.”  
With that, ignoring Sadie’s scandalised gasp, he leans in, and finally kisses Harry, and all is right again with the world.  
Or it could be, if Sadie had actually heeded James’ request.  
But of course she hasn’t, instead opting to tug on Harry’s sleeve until he pulls back from the kiss.  
Beaming, she claps her hands together. “See, you don’t really want him! I’m your family!”  
Harry is momentarily too stunned to come up with a response to that, but James has no such qualms.  
“Are you actually delusional? Harry doesn’t want you. He belongs with me, and you should really leave us alone now, because if you continue this madness, I’ll be forced to ruin your life.”  
James sound cold and collected, and just a little bit menacing, and it probably says a lot about Harry that he’s very turned on by that.  
Sadie blinks, and seems to _finally_ get the message, because she looks a little scared now, and _finally_ leaves without another word.  
Smiling, James turns back to Harry. “So, where were we?”  
“Celebrating our reunion, I believe”, Harry replies, grinning, and pulls James back into a passionate kiss.  
And celebrate they do. Deep into the night.


End file.
